$6bn Mambilla contract was not approved by FEC, Imoke tells court

Former Cross River Governor Liyel Imoke on Monday told the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) did not approve a memo recommending the award of the $6 billion Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project contract to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited.

Imoke, the sixth prosecution witness in the trial of former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, testified on October 19, 2026, before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie. Agunloye is facing an amended seven-count charge bordering on alleged official corruption and the fraudulent award of the contract while in office between 2002 and 2003.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Abba Mohammed, SAN, Imoke said he served as Minister of Power and Steel from August 2003 to November 2006, succeeding Agunloye. He added that he was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where he made a statement on May 24, 2023, concerning a letter he wrote to Sunrise Power.

Imoke said the September 3, 2003 letter was written in response to an inquiry from the company seeking payment for the Mambilla project contract, which he said had purportedly been awarded by the former minister.

He told the court that after receiving the inquiry, he requested the relevant file and found an extract of the FEC meeting minutes directing Agunloye to withdraw his memo, invite more proposals, pursue constructive negotiations and explore various investment options.

The witness identified his statement to the EFCC, admitted as Exhibit EFCC 3Q, and the relevant documents, including the FEC minutes and his letter to Sunrise Power dated September 3, 2003. “My lord, I wrote the letter in response to the letter of enquiry from Sunrise requesting for payment in respect of the contract of Mambilla Hydro Power Project contract which was purportedly awarded to Sunrise by the former minister, the defendant,” he said.

During cross-examination by defence counsel, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, Imoke was asked why he did not cancel the contract after discovering that it had purportedly been awarded. He responded that there was no need to cancel a contract that had not been approved by FEC.

Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned the case until November 2, 4, 9 and 11, 2026, for continuation of trial.